title: Metabolic cooperation of Gordonia sp. strain MTCC 4818 and Arthrobacter sp. strain WY in the utilization of butyl benzyl phthalate: effect of a novel co-culture in the degradation of a mixture of phthalates.
abstract: Degradation of butyl benzyl phthalate (BBP) by a co-culture of Gordonia sp. strain MTCC 4818 and Arthrobacter sp. strain WY was investigated. In the degradation of BBP by the co-culture, the limitations of the individual species in metabolizing BBP were overcome, leading to the development of a consortium capable of complete utilization of this ester. In the degradation of BBP by the co-culture, the presence of multiple esterases was demonstrated in both species by activity staining of non-denaturing gels, indicating their roles in the degradation process. The esterases were found to be inducible, with unique or broad substrate specificities towards BBP and its monoesters. Moreover, a number of catabolic enzymes other than esterases identified in the metabolism of BBP-degraded intermediates facilitated the co-culture-mediated degradation process. The versatility of the co-culture was further established by the rapid and complete degradation of a mixture of phthalate esters of environmental concern.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Bose Institute, P-1/12 C.I.T. Scheme VII M, Kolkata 700 054, India.
authors.forename: Subhankar
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chatterjee
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Bose Institute, P-1/12 C.I.T. Scheme VII M, Kolkata 700 054, India.
authors.forename: Tapan K
authors.initials: TK
authors.lastname: Dutta
mesh_terms: D001173:Arthrobacter / Q000737:chemistry / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism*; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D018920:Coculture Techniques / Q000379:methods; D046508:Culture Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000378:metabolism*; D004950:Esterases / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D033601:Gordonia Bacterium / Q000737:chemistry / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism*; D010795:Phthalic Acids / Q000378:metabolism*; D012988:Soil Microbiology; D013379:Substrate Specificity
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D010795:Phthalic Acids; D004950:Esterases; C027561:butylbenzyl phthalate